Wireless communication can be used as a means of accessing a communication network. Wireless communication has certain advantages over wired communications for accessing a network. For example, implementing a wireless interface can eliminate a need for a wired infrastructure thereby reducing the cost of building and maintaining network infrastructure. In addition, a wireless network can support added mobility by allowing a wireless device to access the network from various locations or addresses. A wireless interface can comprise at least one transceiver in active communication with another transceiver that is connected to the network.
A handover procedure can be performed to allow a wireless device to maintain communication with a wireless network. Handover can comprise three phases: handover preparation, handover execution, and handover completion. During the preparation procedure, handover procedures can be negotiated between a first access node (source) and a second access node (target) without any involvement from the evolved packet core (EPC) such that preparation messages can be directly exchanged between the source access node and a target access node. During the execution procedure, a communication link or tunnel such as an X2 interface can be established such that data addressed to the wireless device can be forwarded from the source access node to the target access node. During the handover completion procedure, a logical communication link can be established between a gateway and the target access node such that data addressed to the wireless device can be communicated from the EPC to the target access node. In addition, the initial logical communication link between the EPC and the source access node can be terminated. In addition, the source access node can release context information associated with the wireless device.
When the logical communication link between the EPC and the source access node is terminated too quickly, data addressed to the wireless device via the source access node can be prevented from reaching the target access node causing undesirable service interruptions. When the logical communication link between the EPC and the source access node is maintained too long, handover requests from the wireless device in communication with the target access node can be denied which can also cause undesirable service interruptions.
Overview
Systems and methods of performing a handover in a wireless communication network are provided. A controller node can receive a first request to establish a first logical communication link between a first access node and a gateway. Data addressed to a wireless device in communication with the first access node can be communicated over the first logical communication link. The controller node can receive from a second access node a second request to establish a second logical communication link between the second access node and the gateway such that data addressed to the wireless device is communicated over the second logical communication link and to release the first logical communication link between the first access node and the gateway. A timer can be initiated after receiving the second request. The timer can be based on a mobility of the wireless device, a load of the wireless communication network, and an application requirement of an application running on the wireless device. The gateway can be instructed to establish the second logical communication link with the second access node after initiating the timer. The first access node can be instructed to release the first logical communication link with the gateway after the timer expires.